Despite the controversial nature of gender quotas, I believe they can be helpful in combating the many social, economic and political challenges that women continue to face around the world. Until women gain equal access to leadership positions in all realms of society we will not experience a full expression of democracy. I hope that the trend towards gender quotas will continue in a legitimate and meaningful way, giving women the voice they deserve in creating more just and stable societies.

The United States lags behind the world average of 16% representation for women in parliament/congress. While it is not very likely that the United States will ever institute a gender quota system, gender quotas can be an excellent tool for increasing the representation of women in parliaments and congressional bodies worldwide. Without gender quotas the increase in women’s political representation is often very gradual if not stagnant. It is very difficult for women leaders to implement change without having a “critical mass” of women represented, usually no less than 30%. Nordic countries such as Norway and Sweden, thanks to gender quotas, have some of the highest percentages of women in parliament and are likewise some of the most gender progressive countries in the world. Gender quotas are also an up-and-coming force in the developing world; Rwanda is a model in this respect with nearly 50% women in parliament.

Please feel free to post your own opinions on gender quotas. Do you think they are a useful tool for promoting gender equality? Should they be used at all?